Abduction From Paradise
by Sithchild
Summary: A/U. Eight years ago, Anakin was brought back to the light by Padme. Since then, they have been on the run from the Emperor. They think that they have made their new location on Naboo a secret, but there is little that the Emperor doesn't know...
1. Chapter 1

In the quiet misty morning, a small family moved through the empty streets. Two adults, two children. The male adult was carrying the little girl, who was fast asleep in his strong arms. A hood was pulled over the older woman's face, reminding her of her days as a handmaiden, when she had worn garments with hoods so cavernous she could have hidden her face in them. This hood was designed to shade her eyes, her beautiful brown eyes. She held the hand of the little boy, who carried a basket in his arms.

It was almost dawn. The sun had just begun to break over the horizon. The woman stopped to look at it. So did the little boy. He grinned so wide his face looked like it was going to split open. "Look, Momma, look! It's the sun!" With an expression of pure joy on his face, he kept staring at the orb slowly coming into view. "It's welcoming us, Momma! Boy, it's sure pretty."

The woman smiled. "Quiet, Luke. We wouldn't want to disturb our new neighbors before we've moved in, would we?"

"I guess not." Luke tried not to frown. His mother squeezed his hand gently and kept walking on the cobblestone street. Each house they passed had him twitching with anticipation. "Which one's ours, Momma?"

"Ask your father, darling," she said. Her other arm reached for his hand, as she'd done a thousand times. She'd forgotten that he was carrying Leia, their sleeping angel, so instead she brushed a lock of her daughter's hair off of her forehead.

"Ask me what?" the man asked.

"Daddy, which house is ours? Are we gonna get there soon?"

The man smiled, a truly beautiful smile, which sent the woman's heart racing. A sense of warmth spread through her body. She'd never gotten accustomed to what Anakin could do to her. She hoped she never would.

"Just one more block," he whispered. The little girl stirred in his arms. Her eyes blinked sleepily, and she reached up to rub them. "Morning, sweetheart," her father crooned. Leia reminded him so much of Padmè, his angel. Same brown hair and chocolate eyes that could make anyone notice them. Fall in love with them.

A few more minutes passed, and Anakin saw the house. It was perfect for them. As a Jedi, he enjoyed simplicity, which was what this house offered. And as much as Padmè had been surrounded by a lifestyle of grandeur, he knew that she too preferred the calm and peace a simple life could give. He smiled to himself and placed Leia down on the bottom of the front steps. Taking his wife's hand, he produced a datacard from his pocket, swiped it through a hidden slot, and unlocked the door. A few taps of a keypad made the door slide open, revealing its inner beauty to the small family.

Padmè gasped. It was perfect, absolutely perfect, down to the type of plants that were sporadically placed throughout the house. As she wandered through it, she kept noticing little things that she knew Anakin had put there just for her: a hand-carved desk right next to a window that overlooked the garden in the back; the scent of her favorite perfume floating through the air; even the patio furniture had been arranged according to her taste. She walked through the pungent backyard. Just beyond the fence, a beautiful lake came into view. Children splashed in the shores while the adults sunned themselves and gossiped on the sand. Some had taken boats to the middle of the water and either fished or relaxed. Padmè wished so badly that she could join them. Nowadays, she could hardly remember what being relaxed felt like.

Anakin came up from behind and snuck his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. She smiled. When Anakin was around, she certainly remembered bliss. Eyes closed, she could clearly recall the day she knew for certain that she loved him. They had been in a meadow on Naboo, this very planet, teasing each other playfully. That had been before the war. Before evil permeated the galaxy, wrapping its tendrils around every being it could reach. "What are you thinking about?" he murmured into her ear.

"You," she whispered. "And how perfect things used to be."

"Correction: how perfect things _are_. You saved me, Padmè; that was all I needed for my life to become whole. Well, you and the twins. But I swear it, that's all."

Padmè turned her face to kiss him. What had she done to deserve such an amazing husband who loved her and their children more than life itself? She couldn't think of any great deed that she had accomplished, nor of any award she had received. But that was just it, wasn't it? Anakin was the award. And yes, she had earned him, simply by being herself. He had also won something: her heart. She loved him to oblivion, and she knew she could never stop. Seeing him at the Mustafar platform had swayed her loyalty, but only momentarily. He had been dark then. Cruel, scared, and merciless. It had been she who had brought him back to the good, the light, and the wonderful. She couldn't help feeling some pride in herself.

He kissed her back, tender and lovingly. She reached up to brush a piece of ashy blonde hair out of his eyes – oh, those eyes. Their lips met again, and again, until they were interrupted by the squeal of a child. "Ewwww! Momma! Daddy! Luke, they're _kissing_!"

Padmè and Anakin both burst into laughter. Anakin walked to the little girl and put her on top of his shoulders. She squealed again, this time with delight instead of repulsiveness. "Oh! Daddy, please please please, can we go to that lake? Pretty please, I'll do whatever you want me to for a whole month if we can go to the lake!" She reached out to her mother. "You too, Momma, I promise I'll do whatever you ask!"

"You should be doing that already," Padmè remarked. She grinned in spite of herself. "But…we'll see. Don't you want to see your new room, sweetheart?"

"I get a room all to myself? Without Luke there?" Leia shrieked. "That's amazing! It'll be great to get an entire night's sleep without having to listen to _someone's _sleeptalking."

"I don't! It's you!" Luke shouted from inside. "_You're_ the one yelling, 'Don't hurt me' five thousand times every single night!"

"Leia?" Anakin was instantly alert. "Who's hurting you?"

"Calm down, Anakin," Padmè murmured. "It was just a dream."

Anakin just got madder. "Like the dream I had about my mother was 'just a dream,'" he scoffed. Seeing his wife's hurt expression, he instantly regretted his words. "Oh, angel, I'm so sorry. That wasn't your fault."

"It's okay, Anakin." Padmè sat down on the brand-new couch and instructed Leia to sit next to her. "Now, darling, what kind of dreams have you been having?"

Leia's lower lip trembled. _Oh, my poor child, _Padmè thought. _I'm so sorry that you have inherited the curse of dreaming your father has. _The little girl put on a brave face and tried to explain the story.

"There's a sick-lookin' man in a big robe – no, a cloak – with his hood pulled down over his face. Kinda like yours, Momma, except it's black and ugly." She took a deep breath and continued. "He keeps shooting little sparks at me, except he doesn't have a blaster. It just comes from his _fingers_. And his voice, oh, it's so awful, and he's laughing…" Leia couldn't hold back her tears any longer. As she started to sob, she climbed into Padmè's lap and buried her face into her mother's soft, sweetly scented hair. Anakin joined them on the couch, wrapping both of them in his strong arms. Luke caught on quickly and snuggled himself between his parents so he could comfort his terrified sister. "It was so real, Momma. I thought I was really there. And – and so was Luke! We were both there!"

Now Luke was frightened. He hugged Leia tighter. "It's not gonna happen. Right, Daddy?"

"Of course not." Anakin's tone was dark. Padmè knew exactly what he was thinking. His face softened, and he stroked Leia's hair. "Sweetheart, we're never going to let anything like that happen to you or Luke."

But could we stop the Emperor? Padmè wondered. Yes, Anakin was one of the most powerful Jedi the galaxy had ever known, but also the most easily tempted. Palpatine had lured him in with the promise of power and control over death. What else could he offer her beloved husband? How else could that wretched man torture him? A fierce determination rose in Padmè's gut. Nothing like that was ever going to happen.

That night, after planning a trip to the lake for the following afternoon, all of the Skywalkers had trouble going to sleep. But eventually they all fell into such a deep slumber not even an alarm could rouse them. An alarm like the one that protected their new home. The piercing noise wailed through the air, but not one of them woke up.

The next morning, Anakin and Padmè awoke to find their children missing.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

In the depths of space, a gray Imperial Star Destroyer lurked menacingly. Though its true name was the _Slaughter, _everyone onboard had given it the nickname 'the _Scorner_.'" It was seemingly abandoned. Only a few life-forms existed. One of those life forms was of the most powerful man in the galaxy.

Major Ciddya Hirsch was well aware of this as she stepped into his private chambers. When General N'baumbe had asked her to tell the Emperor of the latest progress updates, she'd felt her entire body go numb. But there was no way she would ever defy orders. No matter how deadly they might be. After all, that was loyalty. Wasn't it?

She cracked open the door, just an inch. It was dark and chilly, reeking of the evils that were inside. A dead smell hung in the air. She took a deep breath before continuing inside. In a voluminous purple chair, the Emperor reclined while watching a news report on an outmoded holoplayer. That was odd. Hirch had never taken the Emperor to be a man for those kinds of amusements. She didn't let it bother her. She had a job to do.

"Your Majesty?" she stammered. "General N'baumbe has asked me to give you news of the latest updates within the Empire's control throughout the galaxy. Our sources from Corellia are saying – "

"Major Hirsch." The cold, bleak voice of the Emperor sent a ripple of fear through her. "How nice to see you. Could you please explain why General N'baumbe is not presenting this information to me himself?"

Hirsch gulped. "Sir, I believe he's working with the specialist team on making the Imperial military more…sellable. To get more people to join us."

The Emperor seemed to consider this. "So he considers the process of turning our Empire into a product to be more important than answering my requests? Why, Major, this will just not do." He pressed a button on the comm in his hand. "Send General N'baumbe to my private chambers. Let him make no excuses. If he fails to be here in three standard minutes, I will hold you personally responsible, Colonel." The call ended with a burst of static as the frantic officer located N'baumbe. Hirsch felt an awful nausea in the pit of her stomach. She had heard of the Emperor's limited patience with incompetent beings and had a pretty good idea of what was about to take place.

"No, Hirsch. You will stay. Continue your report. I feel no need to stop you from doing your job." He swiveled in his chair so that she could barely make out his profile in the dim starlight that filtered through the dark room.

"Y-yes, sir. As I was saying, General Coorleb has given us word of a resistance forming on Corellia. Taking control of the planet was easy, but controlling the people is not. Peasants are making homemade weapons. While they are crude, they are very effective, and are taking down the clones protecting the streets and buildings." Hirch took a deep breath. This was getting easier. "Currently, we are attempting to invade Naboo. They have very little weapons and a nonexistent military force. Occupying the planet will be quick and simple. General Tyeibne is leading the operation and says that all is going well, though she may need some additional troops to scout the grasslands and forests for the Gungan natives and runaway citizens."

"Very good, Major." The Emperor swiveled in his chair once again, turning to face her. "You are dismissed. I expect that General N'baumbe will be waiting outside of the door. Tell him to enter immediately."

"Of course, sir." Hirsch scurried from the bleak chambers as fast as her fit legs could walk. As the Emperor had predicted, General N'baumbe was in the hallway, pacing. Hirsch knew deep down that she would not be seeing him again. Well, not alive. If there was a funeral (which was unlikely here), she would probably attend. She saluted to the General and gestured to the door. If she spoke to him, her voice would wobble, which was very unprofessional.

Two hours later, news of the General's death had traveled through the ship like blood circulating through a body. Hirsch had also been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. That brightened her day, but couldn't entirely erase the guilt she felt for N'baumbe.

Soon, but not soon enough, the work day was over. Hirsch retreated to her quarters to spend the rest of the evening in peace. The mess hall was crowded. A fight had broken out between two of the officers, a Lieutenant and a Major General. The former had been accused of stealing from the latter. There was no evidence to support the Major General's theory, but it wasn't like it was needed anyway. Hirsch was disgusted by the way the officers conformed against the innocent Lieutenant. How could they believe something just because a superior officer said so? Nothing made sense anymore. She took her 'food' back to her quarters and ate by herself. A headache had invaded her brain, making any kind of noise a pain to listen to.

At 21:48, Hirsch awoke to a sound she hadn't heard in months.

Screaming. Sobbing. But not in the lower register of adults – these were squeals of pure terror only one kind of being could make.

There were children onboard the _Slaughter._


	3. Chapter 3

_?_

Leia kept trying to convince herself that this was just another one of her horrible nightmares. Any second now, she was going to wake up and Momma and Daddy would be _right there_ and they would comfort her and she would be just fine. Luke would be there too; maybe he'd even climb in bed with her like when they were little so the monsters would stay away. But Luke _wasn't _here and neither were Momma and Daddy. Leia was all by herself in a tiny dark room. Except she couldn't tell if it was tiny or not. It was too dark to see anything. Leia closed her eyes, then opened them again.

"_LEIALEIALEIA!" _came a shout that could only be Luke's. "Where _are _you? LEIA!"

"LUKE!" she screamed back. His voice sounded like it was coming from her left. She turned that way, but there was only blackness. Blindly, she stumbled across the metal floor, only to trip and fall three steps later. "Oww!" She whined just because she could.

Wait a minute. She had tripped over something _soft_. And thick. A leg? Luke's leg? She certainly _hoped _it was Luke's leg. If it was some stranger's leg that would be really really bad. When she knelt down close, she could see that it was indeed her brother, and not anyone else. "_Luke_!" she yelled with glee. "You're _here_! Where are we? I don't know! All I remember is waking up here and Momma and Daddy and nightmares. Lots of nightmares. And something sharp, Luke, really really sharp that poked me right here." She pointed to her upper arm. When she probed at it, she felt the pockmark of a syringe needle. "Luke, gimme your arm."

"Why?"

"Just cause, Luke! I wanna see if you have this too." Reluctantly, he lifted up his arm. She had to gripe around at the air for a minute before she finally found it. Sure enough, he did. "I knew it! They _drugged _us!"

Luke was quiet all of a sudden. Leia knew that he was in his Pondering Mode. When Luke got really hushed, that meant he was thinking about something. And Luke was smart, so maybe he was thinking about ways to get them out of this awful place. Leia was trying to imagine that too. But since they couldn't see the walls, they couldn't see the doors either. Or any kind of escape route, for that matter. They were trapped, and there wasn't much they could do about it.

"Well," Luke finally said, "The lights have to turn on eventually. Right? If someone did wanna kidnap us, then they'd ask for ransom from Momma and Daddy. They need proof that we're actually here to demand that random." He frowned. "I hope. Leia, I really don't wanna be stuck in here for the rest of my life. It's so _cold." _

"You think everything's cold," Leia joked. Neither twin laughed. So much for lightening the mood. Although, when she thought about it, it was going to take a lot more than a witty remark to actually make Luke smile. She wondered that if she got to talking long enough, then they could just talk forever and ever and not have to worry. No, that was a stupid idea. Some mean person would overhear and butt in and try to get into their business. Leia hated people like that. Momma told her not to hate – that hating leads to the dark side – but she did anyway. Whenever she brought hate up to Daddy, he got this weird look on his face that was super mad but really sad all at the same time. During her eight years of living, Leia had learned to never _ever_ mention the dark side to Daddy. It took a lot of talking from Momma to get him to be Daddy again.

All of this thinking made Leia sleepy. In the darkness, she found her way to Luke and snuggled next to him, like they were little kids again, protecting each other. Their hands instantly found each other. Neither was going to be the first to let go.

Luke was the first one to wake up. Something was different about the room. It was bright now. The short-power bulb hanging over his head was tiny, but glowed strongly in the pitch-black. From where he sat – well, lay – he could make out a door and storage compartments.

And a person.

Even from twenty meters away, Luke could tell that it was a female. Spirals of jet-black hair poked out of her officer's cap. Luke didn't know very much about military ranks – that was his sister's department – yet he could tell that she wasn't very high up. He smiled at her. If they were ever going to get out of here, maybe being nice would help. "Hi."

"Hello," the woman said. Her tone was cautious, but not mean.

"I'm Luke." he said. He gestured to his sleeping sister. "And that's Leia. Who are you?"

"Major Hirsch," she replied. "How old are you?"

"Eight!" Luke said, beaming. "Well, eight and a month. We just turned it."

"We?"

"Leia and me. We're twins, but people say we don't look that much alike. I look like Daddy, and Leia looks like Momma. She acts more like him, though." Luke was sure he'd done something very bad – if Daddy were here, he would be telling Luke to be quiet and not give the enemy any more information than necessary. Luke had already crossed that line. "Can you tell us where we are, please?"

Major Hirsch nodded. "Onboard the _Slaughter_, the Emperor's personal Star Destroyer. Though I should mention that I haven't got the slightest idea of how you got here in the first place. Children aren't typically seen here." She sighed. Luke could tell that she wasn't very happy. "To be more precise, you are in my own storage area, if that's what you meant."

"Oh," Luke said. Well, that explained why it was so cold. And dark. "Would you get in a lot of trouble if you let us out?"

"Where would you go? You're lucky that I found you before some of the others did." She frowned. "I'd like to let you free, but you'd only be trapped again. And by others who aren't as compassionate towards children as I am. So my answer is no."

"Please!" Luke wailed. He'd given up his façade of bravery. Now he just really needed to get _out_. "I'll do anything you want me to, anything! Please, please, Major Hirsch, I really will. So will Leia! She may not like it at first but she'll understand." He paused. A new idea formed in his head. "And I really, really, _really _gotta…um…use the 'fresher."

A trace of a smile appeared on Major Hirsch's face. Luke decided to just call her Major. Anyway, Major was looking less mad now, which meant that maybe just maybe she'd be nice and set them free. Maybe. "Is that what you were so worried about? Well, I suppose that's not a problem. I've got a 'fresher right next to my cabin. I'll have to take you there and back, though."

Well, that sort of ruined the plan. What was supposed to happen was Luke going off to the 'fresher by himself – but he wouldn't actually be going to the 'fresher. Daddy had shown him maps of ships like these, and he knew exactly where the bridge was. So he would go the bridge and ask if he could go home, please. The please was essential. Momma had told him that if he didn't ask please, like a nice boy, then things were less likely to go his way.

Suddenly, Luke really really really missed Momma and Daddy. He could picture their faces, just like they were standing right in front of them. Right now, in his brain, they had on the face that they got when they looked at each other, gazing into the other's eyes. It was a face of pure bliss, like everything they could ever want in the galaxy was right there in front of them. Luke had always been kinda grossed out by that face, but right now it was the most comforting thing he could conjure up.

"Luke? Are you all right?"

Luke realized that Major was still waiting for him to answer her question. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I'd really just like to use the 'fresher, please."

At least that part wasn't a lie.


	4. Chapter 4

Two days later, Anakin sat in the living room, updating the search requests he'd put on the HoloNet. His chin was rough with blonde stubble. He didn't bother shaving it. He had all the time in the universe, but could bear to spend a second of it not searching for his children.

Padme had spent the last two days in bed with her datapad, scrolling through holograms of the twins and sobbing. Anakin could hear her cries from the bedroom and grimaced, a searing pain shooting through his body with each round of tears. Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore. He went to the bedroom and found she was not there. "Padme?" he called softly. "Where are you?"

There was no response. Where could she _be_? Anakin's heart pounded hard against the smooth fibers of the undershirt that ran under his leather outergarment. He hadn't heard her say anything about leaving to go out, but no, there were the sobs again, and he nearly keeled over in torturous grief from having to listen to them. She was in _pain_, she was so miserable she hadn't come out of that room in _days_, so where could she _possibly_ –

"Anakin?"

His breath rushed out in a sigh as he saw his wife come out of the twins' former bedroom. As he was every time he saw her, Anakin was astounded by her pure beauty. Deep chocolate curls framed her tear-streak face, which radiated loveliness despite the red, puffy eyes. She hadn't grown thin to an unhealthy point yet, but she hadn't been eating well. Anakin crossed the distance between them in four steps and pulled her in an embrace, kissing her coils of hair and breathing in the scent of it, of her, with every inhale. "I looked everywhere for you," he said in a low voice, his mouth just above her ear. "Oh, Padme, you _scared_ me." He was _not_ going to cry, though something in his throat caused him to sound choked up.

"I'm right here, love," she said soothingly. He felt her delicate fingers caress his hair and closed his eyes, feeling more pleasure than he ever had in the past two days. His chin lightly rested on top of her head.

For hours the two were content in each other's arms, feeling the grief for their children melt into resolve and determination to find them. Though if the door had not chimed, they would have held each other until nightfall.

Anakin's muscles were stiff when he was forced to take his eyes off her and answer the door. He pressed the door panel intercom. "Yes?"

"I am so sorry to hear of your loss, Anakin," said a clipped voice on the other end. Obi-Wan. Anakin could place that voice anywhere in the galaxy. He fought it, but a smile crept on his face knowing that he would see his old teacher again. "I thought I might come and call on you and Mrs. Skywalker and make sure the two of you had not yet starved in your misery. Again, I am terribly sorry and upset to hear of Luke and Leia's disappearance."

Without listening to any more, Anakin slid open the door, revealing Obi-Wan Kenobi wrapped in a dark brown cloak. He led his former master into the living room and instructed C-3PO to bring them something to drink.

They talked for a long time. Anakin lost track of how many plans, schemes, and attempts they plotted to get the twins back. To his surprise, Padme didn't cry once. She was beautiful in the way she had been as a senator, direct and instrumental in the process. She didn't hesitate to point out what was wrong with Anakin's latest idea, or the impossibilities of Obi-Wan's theory.

It was she, actually, who had the idea that worked.

"Anakin," she'd said after dinner, as the two of them put newly dried dishes away. C-3PO simply didn't have the grace and accuracy to do it quickly. Even Obi-Wan pitched in, learning where everything in the new house went in the various compartments. "Can't you use a Force-trace?"

"A what?" he'd said, never having heard of that in his life. He wondered how his wife knew something of the Jedi that he did not. It unsettled him. Had she been having more conversation with Obi-Wan or Master Windu than she'd let on?

"Oh!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "Yes, Padme, that's very clever. Of course it's extremely hard to do and requires the power and precision of at least three members of the Jedi council." His eyes dropped to the floor as he put a serving bowl away. "I…I'm afraid to say there may not be enough of us to perform a Force-trace." Turning to Anakin, he regained his composure. "A Force-trace, Anakin, is a complicated aspect of Jedi training that few achieve and can only be used to find those of Jedi blood, which your children are. It will not give us the coordinates or the precise location of the missing party, but gives you a connection – a sense, if you will – of where they could possibly be. However, as has already been said, there are not enough Masters to create one."

"Why not?" Anakin said. A rush of exhilaration went through him. "You, me, and Master Yoda. Unless he has become one with the Force, that should be enough."

"Master Yoda prefers not to be disturbed, Anakin."

"He'd understand!" Anakin almost shouted. How was Obi-Wan not understanding? These were his _children_, his _life _for the past eight years. He would barge onto Dagobah himself and kidnap the old Master if he had to.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan warned, sensing his former Padawan's train of thought. "Calm yourself. I did not say that it was impossible, only that he prefers not to be interrupted in his exile."

He felt a soft hand on his shoulder. Padme. He took her hand and held it in both of his, tracing the delicate patterns of her palm. Her skin was so soft, so beautiful. He brought it to his nose and inhaled the scent of the fruit they'd had for dessert. Not as wonderful as what they had eaten eleven years ago in the lake country of Naboo, but still delicious.

"Let's do it," he said.

Nobody argued.


End file.
